| Giddarbaha | |
| — city — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Punjab |
| District(s) | Muktsar |
| Population | 36,593 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 189 metres (620 ft) |
| Website | = footnotes = |
Giddarbaha is a city and a municipal council in Muktsar district, in the Indian state of Punjab.
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Giddarbaha was originally known as "Pepali", after the Pipal tree, and started out as a small village. According to legend, when Guru Gobind Singh visited Pepali, he learned of the women of the village being disturbed by the "giddar" when they went to fetch water from the well. When the guru was told that everybody in the village was married, except for the giddar, he arranged for the marriage of the giddar. From then on the village was known by the locals as "Giddar Vivaha".
The village of Giddar Vivaha increased in importance as an agricultural market for the local areas, and grew to become a town.
When the British reached the town, they adopted the name of Giddarbaha as a mispronunciation. In 1909 Giddarbaha was rebuilt as a walled city with six gates, and it was well connected with other cities including Bathinda, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Muktsar, Dabawali, Sirsa, Delhi, Faridkot, Abohar, Fazilka, Ganganagar, Malout, Sangat, and Ramma.
The new name of "Giddarbaha city" was carved on stones placed at the gates, and a church was built on the Sangat road (near Doula). Goushalla and Durga Mandir were the earliest temples built in the new city.
In 1917, the British government established the Bathinda–Karachi railway line, to transport goods from this part of India to Karachi. Giddarbaha railway station was established on the line in 1918.
Giddarbaha may be called one of the most politically sensitive towns in Punjab in the face of the state elections to be held in 2012.
Giddarbaha is located in the southwestern zone of Punjab. The district of Faridkot lies to its North, Firozepur to the West and Bathinda to the East.
There is wide seasonal temperature variation in the Giddarbaha area, with summer temperatures reaching 48-50°C and winter temperatures down to 1-2°C. The western Himalayas in the north and the Thar Desert in the south and southwest mainly determine the climate conditions. The southwestern monsoon brings the rainy season during summer (July to September), with nearly 70% of the region's annual rainfall occurring during those months.
The major part of the district experiences an aridic (tropical) moisture regime. [1]
Many important holy have people lived in Giddarbaha, including Baba Tapasi Ram and Chandan Muni.
The guru of the city is Shree Baba Ganga Ram Ji, and a major festival is held in the city every year in his honour.
As of 2001[update], according to the Indian census, Giddarbaha had a population of 36,593. Males constituted 53% of the population and females 47%. Gidderbaha had an average literacy rate of 63%, which was higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 68%, and female literacy was 56%. 12% of the population was under 6 years of age.[2]
The Giddarbaha subdivision, which covers an area of 68,028 hectares, had a population of 205,118. There were 44 villages in the subdivision, with Doda being a sub-Tehsil.[3]
Giddarbaha is one of the largest producers of snuff in India, with the Photo Snuff factory being its best known producer.
The city also acts as an agricultural market serving surrounding towns and villages.
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